Strawberry plant named ‘Figaro’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of Strawberry plant named ‘Figaro’, characterized by its vigorous growth habit; large and uniformly rounded fruits; very firm fruits; glossy light red-colored fruits; and pleasant fruit aroma and taste.

Botanical designation: Fragaria L.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Figaro’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofStrawberry plant, botanically known as Fragaria L., and hereinafterreferred to by the name ‘Figaro’.

The new Strawberry is a product of a planned breeding program conductedby the Inventor in Wageningen, The Netherlands. The objective of thebreeding program was to develop new high-yielding Strawberry cultivarswith good fruit quality, good postharvest longevity and ease ofharvesting.

The new Strawberry originated from a cross-pollination made by theInventor during the summer of 1991 of the Fragaria L. cultivar Elsanta,not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with the Fragaria L.cultivar Pajaro, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The newStrawberry was discovered and selected by the Inventor from within theresultant progeny from the above-mentioned cross-pollination in acontrolled environment in Wageningen, The Netherlands during the summerof 1993.

Asexual reproduction since the fall of 1993 of the new cultivar bycuttings in a controlled environment in Elst, The Netherlands, has shownthat the unique features of this new Strawberry are stable andreproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Figaro’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘Figaro’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Vigorous growth habit.    -   2. Large and uniformly rounded fruits.    -   3. Very firm fruits.    -   4. Glossy light red-colored fruits.    -   5. Pleasant fruit aroma and taste.

Plants of the new Strawberry can be compared to plants of the femaleparent, the cultivar Elsanta. Plants of the new Strawberry differ fromplants of the cultivar Elsanta in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Strawberry have smaller and lighter        green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Elsanta.    -   2. Plants of the new Strawberry had smaller flowers than plants        of the cultivar Elsanta.    -   3. Fruits of plants of the new Strawberry are more rounded and        firmer than fruits of plants of the cultivar Elsanta.    -   4. Fruits of plants of the new Strawberry are light red in color        whereas fruits of plants of the cultivar Elsanta are brownish        red in color.

Plants of the new Strawberry can be compared to plants of the maleparent, the cultivar Pajaro. Plants of the new Strawberry differ fromplants of the cultivar Pajaro in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Strawberry are more vigorous and larger        than plants of the cultivar Pajaro.    -   2. Fruits of the plants of new Strawberry are more rounded and        firmer than fruits of plants of the cultivar Pajaro.    -   3. Fruits of plants of the new Strawberry are light red in color        whereas fruits of plants of the cultivar Pajaro are red in        color.

Plants of the cultivar Figaro can be compared to the cultivar Valeta,not patented. However, in side-by-side comparisons conducted inWageningen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Strawberry and thecultivar Valeta differed in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Strawberry had lighter green-colored leaves        than plants of the cultivar Valeta.    -   2. Fruits of plants of the new Strawberry were larger, more        rounded and firmer than fruits of plants of the cultivar Valeta.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying colored photograph illustrates the overall appearanceof the new cultivar, showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotograph may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description, which accurately describe the actualcolors of the new Strawberry. The photograph comprises a side view ofthe base of typical plant and fruit of ‘Figaro’ grown in an outdoornursery.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

Plants of the cultivar Figaro have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, light intensity anddaylength without, however, any variance in genotype.

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. Plants used for theaforementioned photograph and following description were grown in anoutdoor nursery under conditions that closely approximate commercialproduction conditions during the spring and summer in Wageningen, TheNetherlands. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesranged from 12° C. to 30° C. and night temperatures ranged from 0° C. to20° C. Plants were about one year old when the photograph anddescription were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Fragaria L. cultivar Figaro.-   Parentage:    -   -   Female parent.—Fragaria L. cultivar Elsanta, not patented.        -   Male parent.—Fragaria L. cultivar Pajaro, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By cuttings.        -   Root description.—Fine, fibrous and well-branched; light            brown in color.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant form/habit.—Upright and open plant habit. Plants            globose in form. Leaves basal, dense and bushy plant habit.            Vigorous growth habit; rapid growth rate. Few crowns per            plant.        -   Plant height.—About 25 to 30 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 35 to 40 cm.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Basal rosette; compound            with typically three leaflets. Length: About 8 to 12 cm.            Width: About 6 to 10 cm. Shape: Broadly ovate. Apex: Obtuse.            Base: Obtuse to rounded. Margin: Serrate. Texture, upper and            lower surfaces: Pubescent. Venation: Pinnate. Color:            Developing foliage, upper surface: 138A. Developing foliage,            lower surface: 144A. Fully developed foliage, upper surface:            137A; venation, 137A. Fully developed foliage, lower            surface: 137C; venation, 144C. Petiole length: About 8 to            12 cm. Petiole diameter: About 2 to 3 mm. Petiole color,            upper and lower surfaces: 146B.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower type and habit.—Rotate flowers arranged singly at            lateral apices. Flowers held beneath the leaf canopy.            Flowers not fragrant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Early flowering; plants begin            flower late April to early May in The Netherlands.        -   Flower size.—Diameter: Large, about 3 to 3.5 cm. Depth            (height): About 5 mm.        -   Petals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of five petals, not            imbricate. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 1.5 cm. Shape:            Roughly spatulate. Apex: Rounded. Base: Attenuate. Margin:            Entire. Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            satiny. Color: When opening and fully opened, upper surface:            155D. When opening and fully opened, lower surface: 155D.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Single whorl of 10 to 12 sepals,            star-shaped calyx; calyx situation level with the surface;            attitude of the calyx segments is spreading and slightly            smaller than fruit diameter. Adherence of the calyx is            medium to strong. Length: About 1.5 cm. Width: About 5 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base: Fused. Margin: Entire.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper            and lower surfaces: Close to 137A.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 6 to 8 cm. Diameter: About 1 to            2 mm. Strength: Strong. Color: 144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: About 30.            Anther length: About 2 mm. Anther color: 14B to 14C. Pollen            amount: Abundant. Pollen color: 15C. Pistils: Quantity per            flower: About 30. Stigma shape: Rounded. Stigma color: Close            to 5A. Fruits: Time of fruiting: During June in The            Netherlands. Keeping quality: About five to ten days.            Length: Large, about 5 to 6 cm. Diameter: About 3.5 to            4.5 cm. Shape: Rounded cordate; uniform. Truss length:            Relatively long; flowers level to the foliage. Hollow center            size: Weekly expressed. Firmness: Very firm. Fragrance,            taste: Sweet, pleasant. Luster: Glossy. Color: 34A to 34B.            Flesh color: 34A. Achene insertion: Level with the fruit            surface. Achene color: 1A; on shoulders of the fruit when            exposed to light, 33A.-   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Strawberry have not been    noted to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to Strawberry.-   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Strawberry have been    observed to tolerate temperatures ranging from 0° C. to 35° C.

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Strawberry plant named ‘Figaro’, asillustrated and described.